Laser-System

ABSTRACT

A laser-system comprises master-oscillator/power-amplifier ( 51 ) whereby the master-oscillator comprises a pulsed diode ( 3 ) and a pumped active optical fibre power-amplifier ( 9 ). Substantially all guides of laser light ( 5, 9, 31, 29, 33, 25, 35, 39, 45 ) are optical fibres. The pulsed diode ( 3 ) is not temperature stabilized. To reduce nevertheless amplified spontaneous emission generated in the optical fibre amplifier ( 9 ), a narrow band-pass filter unit ( 29 ) is used. Filter unit ( 29 ) has a central wavelength with a temperature dependence which is matched to the temperature dependent wavelength shift of the pulsed diode ( 3 ).

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. national phase application under 35 U.S.C.§371 of international application no. PCT/CH2005/000570 filed Sep. 30,2005 and claiming priority of European application EP 04029867.1 filedDec. 16, 2004 and European application EP 0500669.1 filed Jan. 14, 2005.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention departs from the object to construe a laser-systemwhich is highly compact, low-power consuming and robust to environmentalhazards so as to be applicable for portable or even handheld devices.Especially the invention departs from such an object to be resolved fora laser-system integrated into a laser range finder device or a targetdesignator device e.g. incorporated in a observation instrument. Therebyin addition to the addressed requirements with respect to compactness,power-consumption and robustness such a laser-system as for longdistance range finding and target designation must be of relatively highpower and must allow accurate evaluation of target reflected laserlight.

In spite of the fact that the laser system according to the presentinvention has been developed with an eye on such applications i.e. formeasuring distances and/or radial velocity of cooperative ornon-cooperative targets by laser detection and ranging by portable orhandheld applications the laser-system according to the presentinvention is suited for all applications where at least a part of theaddressed requirements are imperative.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Attention is drawn on the U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,086 as well as to

-   -   G. W. Kammermann, Selected Papers on Laser Radar, SPIE Optical        Engineering Press, 1997    -   J. W. Goodman, Comparative performance of Optical-Radar        Detection Techniques, IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and        Electronic Systems, Vol. AES-2(5), 526ff., 1966    -   CO₂ LADAR modulation trade of studies, coherent Infrared Radar        Systems and Applications II, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 415, 155ff. (1983)    -   WO 98/30881    -   GB-A-2401738    -   S. Nissilä et al., A Fibre Laser as a Pulse Source for Laser        Rangefinder system, SPIE, Vo. 1821 (1992), 375.

To resolve the above object there is proposed a laser-system inmaster-oscillator/power-amplifier (MOPA) configuration which comprises apulsed diode master oscillator and a pumped active optical fibre poweramplifier downstream said master oscillator and wherein substantiallyall guides of laser light are optical fibres.

In one embodiment of the laser system there is provided a detector unitfor incoming pulsed laser light which detector unit is operationallyconnected to an evaluation unit. The evaluation unit performs evaluationon multiple incoming laser pulses. By multiple pulse evaluation thesystem detection accuracy is improved in spite of limited pulse energyof the emitted laser light.

In a further embodiment the active fibre power amplifier is pumped by apumping diode.

Still in a further embodiment of the laser system the active fibre poweramplifier is gain modulated. This allows e.g. to cope with time-varyingintensity of the emitted laser pulses and/or to improve signal-to-noiseratio by specifically controlled gain modulation.

In one embodiment of the laser system the active fibre power amplifieris gain modulated by at least one of intensity variation of pumpinglight, spectrum variation of pumping light, pumping pulse widthvariation, length of active fibre, spectral shift of an optical filtercharacteristic.

In a further embodiment of the system according to the present inventionthe active fibre power amplifier is pumped in a pulsed mode andpulsating pumping is synchronized with pulsed operation of the diodemaster oscillator.

Still in a further embodiment of the system according to the presentinvention the active fibre power amplifier is an adjusting unit within anegative feedback loop whereat a physical entity of the laser beamdownstream the active fibre power amplifier is sensed as a measuredvalue to be controlled and is compared with a desired value. The gain ofthe active fibre power oscillator is adjusted in dependency of theresult of the addressed comparing.

In one embodiment the addressed physical entity sensed is one ofsignal-to-noise ratio in the laser beam and of intensity of said laserbeam.

In a further embodiment the system according to the present inventioncomprises a pass-band optical fibre filter downstream the active fibrepower amplifier. In a further embodiment the addressed pass-band opticalfibre filter has a filter characteristic the spectral position of whichbeing controllably shiftable.

In a further embodiment the just addressed filter characteristic isshiftable in dependency of a temperature.

Still in a further embodiment the just addressed temperature isdependent from temperature of the diode master oscillator.

By controlling the spectral position of the addressed filtercharacteristic in dependency of the temperature of the diode masteroscillator and taking into account that the spectral band of laser lightemitted from the diode master oscillator varies with respect to spectrallocation and in dependency of the temperature at this oscillator, itbecomes possible to realize a laser beam downstream the addressedpass-band optical fibre filter which is substantially unaffected bytemperature caused spectral shift of the laser light spectral band.

In a further embodiment the system comprises a stabilizing optical fibrefilter within the diode master oscillator being decisive for thespectrum of laser light output from the diode master oscillator. Thesystem comprises a pass-band fibre optical filter downstream the activefibre power amplifier. The spectral locations of the filtercharacteristics of the stabilizing and of the downstream pass-bandoptical fibre filter are matched.

Due to the fact the instantaneous spectral location of the filtercharacteristic of the stabilizing and of the downstream filter arematched and thus substantially equally shifting e.g. due to variationsof temperature, the output spectral band of laser light from the diodemaster oscillator shifts spectrally equally as the filter characteristicof the downstream pass-band filter. Thereby, again, substantiallyconstant output intensity of the laser beam is achieved in spite ofspectral shift of the output spectral band of laser light. Matching issimplified if the temperature sensed at one common location controls therespective spectral shifts of the two filters, or these filters arethermally narrowly coupled.

In a further embodiment of the system according to the present inventionsuch system comprises more than one of the addressed active fibre poweramplifiers.

Still in a further embodiment the system comprises an output/inputcoupler unit with an input fibre which is operationally connected to theoutput of the active fibre power amplifier and with an output fibrewhich is operationally connected to the input of a detector unit. Anoutput/input fibre as provided is operationally connected to a laserlight emitting and receiving optic.

Thereby still in fibre technology a one input/output laser system isrealized.

In one embodiment the just addressed coupler unit comprises an opticalcirculator.

Still in a further embodiment, the system comprises an optical fibre,one end thereof being operationally coupled to a transmitter optic forlaser light dependent from laser light output from themaster-oscillator/power-amplifier, the other end of the fibre beingoperationally connected to an output of the pumped active fibrepower-amplifier. Thereby the one end of the fibre is conceived forsubstantially determining the divergence of the laser beam output fromthe transmitter optic. Thereby additional lenses are omitted, making thesystem less expensive, more robust and more compact.

The addressed transmitter optic is thereby, in one embodiment, also areceiver optic of the system.

In a further embodiment, the addressed optical fibre is a active fibre.

One device according to the present invention with the addressed lasersystem is portable or even handheld. In one embodiment the deviceincorporating the addressed laser system is a range finder or targetdesignator unit operative for ranges up to 1 km and even up to at least10 km.

In one embodiment the device is built in a tank or submarine or in aportable observation instrument.

Attention is drawn on the fact that the content of the Europeanapplication no. 05 000 669.1 dated Jan. 14, 2005 as well as the contentof the European application no. 04 029 867.1 dated Dec. 16, 2004 uponwhich the present application resides with respect to priority, isconsidered as a part integrated by reference to the present disclosure.

The inventions under all their aspects and combinations shall now beexemplified by means of the following figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a signal-flow/functional-block diagram of an all-fibre lasersystem as realized today for portable range finder- or targetdesignator-applications;

FIG. 2 schematically and simplified the occurrence and result ofrelative laser wavelength shift relative to a downstream optical filtercharacteristic;

FIG. 3 in a schematic and simplified representation the principle ofcontrolling spectral shift of a filter characteristic matched to laserwavelength shift;

FIG. 4 in a simplified schematic representation, controlled spectralshifting of the stabilized laser wavelength and of the spectral positionof a downstream filter characteristic;

FIG. 5 simplified and schematically, “active” shifting of a filtercharacteristic;

FIG. 6 in a representation in analogy to that of FIG. 5 “passive”spectral shifting of a filter characteristic;

FIG. 7 by means of a simplified signal-flow/functional-block diagram alaser system with matched laser wavelength and filter characteristicboth shifting as a function of temperature;

FIG. 8 the matching technique according to FIG. 7 applied to a lasersystem according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 a controllably spectrally shiftable pass-band optical filter in asimplified and schematic representation as applicable in the embodimentof FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 a simplified signal-flow/functional-block representation of alaser system with a transmission filter;

FIG. 11 by means of a part of the laser system as of FIG. 1 a possibleform of realizing the principle as of FIG. 10 at the laser system as ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 12 by means of a simplified signal-flow/functional-block diagram alaser system with gain modulated optical amplifier;

FIG. 13 purely qualitatively, pulsed laser light (a), modulated gain (b)of an amplifier for the addressed laser light and laser light resultingfrom gain modulated gain (c);

FIG. 14 pulsed laser light (a) amplified by pulse-width-modulated gain(b) of an optical amplifier and the result laser light (c);

FIG. 15 a part of the laser system as of FIG. 1, whereatpulse-width-modulation as of FIG. 14 is applied;

FIG. 16 an all-fibre coupling device in a simplified and schematicrepresentation for bi-directional laser emission/reception and asintegratable in the system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will first be described by means of a today'srealized embodiment. This under the title of “1. Today's realizedembodiment”.

As in this embodiment, various features are considered per se inventiveand may be realized in different variants, may further be combined withother laser systems different from the today's realized embodiment,subsequent to the description of today's realized embodiment, thosespecific features possibly with their variants, their applicability tolaser systems different from the today's realized will be addressedunder separate titles namely under “2. Temperature shift matching”, “3.Modulatable Amplifier”, “4. Bi-directional coupler”.

1. Today's Realized Embodiment

The today's embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 is a laser range finder forcooperative or non-cooperative targets or applied as a laser targetdesignator. The laser system as shown is of a size, construction andpower consumption which allows integration into a handheld device and isfully autonome. It may also be applied for other fields of applicationswhere similar requirements are valid with respect to size orcompactness, power consumption and robustness.

A master laser unit 1 comprises a single mode DFB (distributed feedback)laser diode 3 emitting light pulses of a wavelength within apredetermined bandwidth. The spectral temperature drift of thewavelength of emitted laser light of such DFB diode is typically of theorder of 0.1 nm/K and below. Such a DFB laser diode is e.g. a diode ofSeries FOL 15DCWD as available from Fitel, Furukawa Inc. The lightemitted from the DFB diode 3 is coupled from an output A₁ of the masterlaser unit 1, possibly via an optical fibre 5, to the input E₇ of afirst amplifier stage 7. The length of the optical fibre 5 is primarilyselected according to the mutual positioning of the unit 1 and unit 7and is omitted for optimum packaging density and for minimum opticalloss from output A₁ to input E₇. The first amplifier stage 7 comprises,as an actively amplifying element, an active fibre 9 which is opticallypumped by light input at pumping input PE₇. Thus the output laser lightof the master laser unit 1 is coupled into and amplified by the activefibre 9.

The active fibre is an Er/Yb co-doped fibre having a gain spectral bandbetween 915 nm and 1500 nm. More generically the active fibre is dopedwith metallic ions as e.g. ions of Erbium and/or of Ytterbium and/or ofNeodymium and/or of Praesodymium and/or of Chromium. The spectral bandof light output at A₁—is within the gain band of amplifier stage 7.

The pumping light energy input to input PE₇ is generated at an outputA₁₁ of a pumping unit 11 comprising a pumping diode 13. Diode 13 is aFabry-Pérot Pump-Laser diode having a typical temperature dependency ofthe emission wavelength of 0.3 nm/K and having its 20° C. centrewavelength at about 945 nm. Such a diode is e.g. a diode QOFP-975-3 fromQPhotonics, LLC.

Thus by selecting the centre wavelength of the pumping diode 13, atabout a centre temperature of a temperature range expected at thepumping diode 13, within the gain spectrum band of the first and, aswill be described later, of a second and possibly a third amplifier, andthe expected temperature shift of that centre wavelength covered by thegain absorption spectral bands of the amplifier stages, no temperaturestabilization of the pump laser diode 13 is necessary. Thereby a firstsubstantial saving of constructional space and of electric power isalready achieved.

Depending on intended constructional positioning of pumping unit 11 andfirst amplifier stage 9 an optical fibre 15 is interconnected betweenoutput A₁₁ and input PE₇. Due to the high gain G of the first fibreamplifier stage 7 there is present at its output A₇ optical noiseespecially due to amplified spontaneous emission ASE, that is emitted ina broad spectral band and which increases with the gain value of theamplifier stage 7. Amplified spontaneous emission ASE results inbroadband light emission out of the first high gain amplifier stage 7independent from and superimposed on the amplified laser lightwavelength λ_(L). Because the energy of the ASE has to be taken intoaccount for qualification into certain laser safety classes, and, inaddition, adds to the noise level of the output light at λ_(L) andfinally at and from an illuminated target, a fibre-optical ASE filterunit 29 with input E₂₉ and output A₂₉ is coupled, possibly via anoptical fibre 31, to the output A₇ of the first amplifier stage 7. TheASE filter unit 29 is a fibre narrow band-pass filter. The central passwavelength λ_(F) of ASE filter unit 29 accords with the wavelength λ_(L)of laser light generated by the master laser 1. To prevent the narrowpass-band of the ASE filter unit 29 and thus λ_(F) and the wavelengthλ_(L) of laser light to become offset due to temperature variations atthe laser source 51 and/or the ASE filter unit 29, a temperature shiftmatching is established as will be discussed also under a more genericaspect in “2. Temperature shift matching”.

By such shift matching it is achieved that λ_(F) shifts spectrallysubstantially equally as does λ_(L).

Thereby, no cooling or temperature control is to be provided at thelaser source 51 which leads to a second substantial saving ofconstructional space and power consumption.

In FIG. 1 the ASE filter unit 29 although represented rather to operatein transmissive band-pass mode may also be conceived to operate inreflective band-pass mode as schematically shown by dash line at thefilter output A_(29r).

The output A₂₉ (or A_(29r)) of fibre ASE filter unit 29 is coupled,possibly via an optical fibre 33, to an input E₂₅ of a secondfibre-optical amplifier stage 25, which is conceived at least similar tothe first fibre amplifier stage 7 and which has an output A₂₅ and ispumped at an input PE₂₅. The output A₂₅ is coupled via an optical fibre35 to the input E₃₇ of a fibre based circulator 37, as e.g. availablefrom JDS Uniphase as polarization-intensive fiber optic circulator.

The circulator 37 has an input/output EA₃₇. According to the arrowdirection shown, light input at E₃₇ is output at EA₃₇ and isolated froman output A₃₇. Light input at EA₃₇ is isolated from E₃₇ and output atA₃₇. The EA₃₇ is coupled via an optical fibre 39 to the transceiveroptics 41. Output A₃₇ is coupled to a detector unit 43 via optical fibre45. In the detector unit 43 optical to electrical conversion isperformed and the respective electric signals are fed to an evaluationunit 47 which generates the desired result information as e.g. targetdistance, target speed, targed trajectory etc.

In spite of the fact, that fibre 39 as shown may be realized as a thirdfibre amplifier stage pumped at PE₃₉, in the today's realized embodimentit is a “passive” optical fibre.

By the fibre based circulator 37 and the optical fibres 35, 39 and 45there is realized a fibre output/input coupler unit 49 comprising thecirculator device 37 for polarised or unpolarized laser light.

Thereby fibre 45 and 39 are of few-mode type. Fibre 35 is optimized withrespect to the laser source up to A₂₅ e.g. with respect to laser lightintensity.

As fibre 39 is selected short i.e. up to at most 10 cm and is notbended, coupling from the fundamental to higher order modes in thatfibre is neglectable. Because manufacturers of commercially availablecirculating devices as of 37 do impose fibre parameters, fusion splicingof the fibres 35, 39 and 45 to the fibres of the device 37 is performedto minimize losses. For such fusion splicing we refer to Electron. Let.Vol. 22 No. 6; pp. 318, 1986; “Low-loss joints between dissimilar fibresby tapering fusion splices”.

The connector at the end of fibre 39 towards the transceiver optics 41adapts the mode field diameter MFD to the transceiver optics 41 actingas emitter and receiver optics and determines the divergence of theemitted light beam. The coupler unit 49 with transceiver optics 41 isconsidered per se inventive and is more generically addressed in “3.Bi-directional-coupler.”

If there is provided, separately, a transmitter optic 41 _(T) as shownin dash line and a receiver optic 41 _(R) also shown in dash line,obviously the circulator 37 is omitted. Then the end of that fibre, asof active fibre from amplifier stage 25 adapts the MFD to the optic 49_(T) and thereby determines the divergence of the emitted laser beam. Bydetermining this divergence by appropriate conceiving the addressedfibre end, significant structural savings at the respective optics 41_(I), 41 _(T) as with respect to lenses are achieved.

If the unit with fibre 39 is to be conceived as an amplifier stage,instead of an active fibre a doped body of glass as e.g. a rod of dopedglass may be provided.

In spite of the fact that it might be possible to pump all the amplifierstages 7, 25 and possibly 39 with a single pump diode 13, it has to beunderstood, that the pumping unit 11 which is shown in FIG. 1 to pumpthe first 7, second 25 and possibly further fibre amplifier stagescomprises the number of decentralized pumping diodes necessary toprovide the pumping power as requested. Thus the “one unit”representation as in FIG. 1 has been selected merely for simplifyingreasons.

The laser source 51 incorporating master laser unit 1 and at least thefirst fibre amplifier stage 7 is a fibreMaster-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier laser source, a fibre MOPA lasersource.

DEFINITION

We understand under “optical fibre”, be it “passive” or active as foramplifying purposes, coaxial- as well as strip-waveguides. As it becomesmore and more possible to manufacture low-loss waveguides by stripcoating plastic material substrates allowing high waveguide packagedensity and flexible mount, we believe that in the rather near future itwill become possible to construe the optical fibres also for the presentsystem by this strip-technique.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a double stage or possibly triple stagefibre amplifier system is used. Today such systems are limited to singlepulse energies of approx. 100 μJ, which is not enough for single pulselaser ranging on non-cooperative targets at distances of severalkilometres. Therefore a multi-pulse integrating evaluation method istoday used.

Multi-pulse direct range finding or target designating comprises—asknown in the art—detection of the time-variant light signal reflectedfrom the target 27 and according to FIG. 1 collimated by the transceiveroptics 41 or 41 _(R).

The signal is converted into an electronic signal, digitised and storede.g. in evaluation unit 47. By integrating in the evaluation unit theelectric digital signals representing reflected light of multiple pulsesthe signal-to-noise-ratio is increased.

Various known methods of digital signal processing can be applied toidentify the time-of-flight of the laser multi-pulses emitted from thelaser system, reflected form the target 27, detected and evaluated bythe receiver detector and evaluation units 43 and 47 which methods arenot described in the frame of the present inventions under all itsaspects.

As may be seen schematically in FIG. 1 the laser diode 3 of master laserunit 1 is controlled by a pulse control unit 53. The pumping diode ordiodes 13 of pumping unit 11 are operated in pulsed mode too, wherebyunder one aspect considered inventive per se, and addressed under “3.Modulatable Amplifier” pulsing of the pumping diode or diodes 13 issynchronised with pulsing of the laser diode 3. Thus there isestablished a predetermined or adjustable phasing of pulsating controlof the pumping diodes 13 with respect to pulsing control of the laserdiode 3. Nevertheless such phasing needs further not be equal forrespective pumping diode or diodes pumping different fibre amplifierstages and needs not be constant in time.

The synchronisation is phase locked by respective negative feedbackphase lock control loops (not shown in FIG. 1). Pulsating power appliedfrom the pumping diodes 13 to their respective fibre amplifier stages 7,25, possibly 39 may be said to be a pulse modulation of the gain G ofthese stages. Parameters of such gain modulation as especially gainvalue, duty cycle, on/or gain ratio may be adjusted or negative feedbackcontrolled to optimize stability and signal-to-noise ratio of theoverall system.

As addressed above the ASE fibre filter unit 29 is conceived so that itspass-band with λ_(F) has substantially the same shift as a function oftemperature and in a predetermined temperature range as the wavelengthλ_(L) of the laser light emitted from master laser unit 1. This isachieved by “passive” matching fibre ASE filter unit 29 realized asexemplified in FIG. 9 and explained under “2. Temperature shiftmatching”. The master laser unit 1, the fibre ASE filter unit 29 as wellas possibly the fibre amplifier stages 7, 25 and possibly 39 arethermally tightly coupled, so that they experience substantially thesame temperature variations over time. This simplifies the addressedmatching.

In context with FIG. 1 there has been described a fibre MOPA LaserSystem in context with a non-coherent direct multi-pulse detectionmethod for laser-range finding on cooperative or non-cooperative targetsor for target designator purposes by portable or even handheldinstruments.

Instruments including the system as has been described with the help ofFIG. 1 are compact, show maximum detecting ranges dependent frominstalled laser power from 1 km far above 10 km distance onnon-cooperative end even small sized targets, exhibit low powerconsumption, provide an emitted laser beam of extremely lowdivergence—due to fibre-end MFD adaptation—even with short focal lengthcollimators and are easy to integrate into optical systems. Due to theall fibre design, this laser system is rugged or robust without the needof stable construction elements to fix discrete optical components thatcould misalign during vibration, temperature cycling or temperatureshocks. An in-fibre output beam has several advantages forplace-independent application. The flexibility of packaging of thecomponents of the fibre MOPA laser system within the housing leads toreduced form factors when integrated into optical systems, like portableobservation instruments and surveying instruments, handheld distancemeters or ship-, sub-marine-, space craft-, aircraft-land vehicles—basedsystems as tanks, where available space is limited.

2. Temperature Shift Matching

With the help of FIG. 1 matching of temperature shift of the spectrallocation of the characteristic of filter unit 29 with temperature shiftof laser wavelength λ_(L) was addressed. More generically, a lasersource with a downstream optical filter especially having a narrowpass-band characteristic removing unwanted spectral components from thelight emitted from the laser source, shall now be considered.

Without providing in the laser source as of 51 of FIG. 1 a temperaturestabilization at least for the active laser light generating devicese.g. by high capacity cooling or by negative feedback temperaturecontrol, dependent also from the environmental temperature conditions towhich the laser source is exposed in operation, the varying temperatureleads to a shift of the laser light wavelength λ_(L). Thesignal-to-noise ratio (S/N) downstream a narrow band-pass filter unit,as of 29 in FIG. 1, increases with diminishing width of the pass-band ofthe filter unit at stationar, timeinvariant conditions. On the otherhand the smaller than the pass-band width is selected, the more shiftingof the laser light wavelength λ_(L) will lead to reduced S/N. Especiallyfor laser systems whereat compactness, low-power consumption and highS/N are predominant requirements, the necessity of temperaturestabilizing the laser source establishes serious problems. This isespecially true for substantially all fibre laser sources, especiallyMOPA laser sources as of 51 of FIG. 1 with downstream filter unit 29whereat the filter unit 29 is especially provided to reduce ASE noise.

Whenever the temperature shift of the laser light wavelength λ_(L) perse is not of significant harm but the resulting decrease of S/N is, theprincipal approach according to one aspect of the present invention isnot to stabilize the wavelength of the laser light by stabilizing thetemperature but to match the temperature dependency of the spectrallocation of the filter characteristic of the downstream filter with thetemperature dependency of the laser light wavelength.

Thereby in a laser system whereat downstream of a laser source there isprovided an optical filter, temperature stabilization of the laserwavelength λ_(L) is superfluous and thus omitted.

By means of a functional-block/signal-flow diagram according to FIG. 2the generic solution according to the one aspect of the presentinvention shall be described.

The laser source 51 _(g) emits laser light at a wavelength λ_(Lo) givena temperature

_(O) of the laser source, with an eye on FIG. 1 especially of the laserdiode 3. As qualitatively shown within the block representing lasersource 51 _(g) the wavelength λ_(L) shifts as a function of temperature

₅₁ according to a wavelength/temperature characteristic (a).

The laser light emitted at the output A_(7g), as of output A₇ of FIG. 1,is operationally connected to the input E_(29g) of filter unit 29 _(g)which has at least one characteristic wavelength λ_(F) of the filtercharacteristic. This characteristic may, in the most general case, be alow-pass and/or a high-pass or a band-pass characteristic. The filterunit 29 _(g) may act in transmission or reflection with respect to inputand output light at output A_(29g).

Generically, the addressed characteristic wavelength λ_(F) of filterunit 29 _(g) characterizes that part of the filter characteristic whichis exploited to remove undesired spectral bands from the output light.The filter characteristic may define for more than one characteristicwavelength λ_(F). The filter characteristic defined by the one or morethan one characteristic wavelengths λ_(F) may shift as a function offilter temperature

₂₉ as qualitatively shown in FIG. 2 by characteristic (b).

According to the addressed aspect of the present invention, instead ofstabilizing

₅₁ e.g. on the working point temperature

_(O) at the laser source 51 _(g) and either selecting a filter unit 29_(g) whereat spectral shift of the filter characteristic as a functionof temperature is neglectable or stabilizing the temperature

₂₉ at the filter unit 29 _(g) as well, as on e.g.

_(O) as shown in FIG. 2, the temperature shift of the characteristicfilter wavelengths λ_(F) is tailored to closely match with thetemperature shift of the laser light wavelength λ_(L) at least in apredetermined temperature range Δ

. This is facilitated by establishing thermally narrow coupling betweenthe laser source 51 _(g) and the filter unit 29 _(g) as representedschematically by coupling 60.

Assuming the laser light output at A_(7g) has a desired wavelength λ_(L)and has noise energy in the spectral ranges adjacent to λ_(L). As λ_(L)shifts with temperature, at the output A_(29g) filtered output light isthus present with a shifted wavelength λ_(L) and with a substantiallyunaffected S/N. Thereby, a significant reduction of temperaturedependency of S/N is achieved. Due to the fact that no temperaturestabilization, in the sense of keeping temperature constant, isnecessary as e.g. a negative feedback temperature control, the overallarrangement is significantly simplified which leads to improvedcompactness as well as to reduced power consumption. Also dependent onthe intensity of the laser light emitted by the laser source 51 _(g) andthereby on thermical loading of the optical filter unit 29 _(g)different techniques may be used as known to the skilled artisan torealize an optical filter unit 29 _(g) first considered withoutadditional measures for providing the controlled shift of spectrallocation shift of its characteristic in dependency of temperature.

Such filters may be e.g.

-   -   interference filters comprising a layer system of thin        dielectric layers    -   optical surface and/or volume gratings    -   Bragg gratings    -   spectrally selective mirrors        all in transmissive of reflecting operation mode.

All or at least practically all optical filters which may be used forthe addressed purpose reside on the geometry of filter structures e.g.on layer thickness, grating width, which are decisive for thecharacteristic wavelengths of such filters as well as on opticalparameters as on index of refraction of materials involved.

Such residing on geometry is exploited according to the present aspectof the invention by generating at the respective filter a mechanicalloading which may—in one case—be realized directly by loading therespective filter structure thermally and exploiting material inherentgeometric variations as a function of temperature or—in another case—byapplying externally a mechanical load generated by on appropriatethermal-to-mechanical conversion, Thereby also taking temperaturedependent variation of optical material parameters into account. In factin both cases there is exploited a thermal-to-mechanical conversion beit by respective thermal behaviour of a material or be it by applyingexternally a mechanical load as a function of a temperature. Thus undera most generic aspect there is exploited a thermal-to-mechanicalconversion.

Generically and according to FIG. 3 there is provided a temperature tomechanical converter 62 the mechanical output signal A₆₂ beingoperationally connected to a mechanical input E_(29g) of filter unit 29_(g) which unit acts as a mechanical to optical converter, in that thefilter characteristic with λ_(F) is spectrally shifted by the mechanicalloading and, resulting therefrom, geometric variation. Thereby thespectral location of the filter characteristic with λ_(F) of the filterunit 29 _(g) in dependency of input temperature

is matched with the temperature dependency of laser wavelength λ_(L).

According to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the combined temperature tomechanical and mechanical to optical conversion has to be matched withthe temperature dependency of the wavelength λ_(L) of the laser source62.

If the laser source, as of laser source 51 of FIG. 1, comprises anactive laser device, as of the laser diode 3, which emits light in abroader spectral band as e.g. a Fabry-Pèrot diode it is customary tostabilize the laser source output by loading the lasering device with anoptical resonator. Such a resonator may be optically delimited by anoptical filter acting as a narrow-band reflective filter. The centerwavelength of the filter-structure pass-band substantially defines forthe wavelength at which the lasering device operates and is thusstabilized.

DEFINITION

We call a filter structure as a part of an optical resonator which loadsan active laser device, and which filter structure operates as anarrow-pass-band reflective filter, the center wavelength thereofstabilizing the addressed device to operate in a narrow wavelength-band,ideally on a laser-wavelength, a stabilizing filter. In this case onepossibility of realizing substantially equal temperature shifts of theemitted laser light wavelength λ_(L) and of the filter characteristicwith wavelength λ_(F) of the downstream filter unit is to establish forsubstantially equal spectral temperature shifts of the stabilizingfilter and of the downstream filter. This is shown in FIG. 4schematically.

According to FIG. 4 the active lasering device 64, in the specificembodiment of FIG. 1 laser diode 3, emits in its operation light in arelatively broad spectral band B₆₄. A stabilizing oscillator 65 withstabilizing filter 66 has a resonance wavelength substantiallydetermined by the central wavelength λ_(F1) of the pass-band ofstabilizing filter 66. The stabilizing filter 66 is conceived as amechanical to optical converter. A mechanical load, as a sharing-,compressing-, pulling- or moving-action, applied thereon, results in aspectral shift of the center wavelength λ_(F1). Thus in dependency of amechanical signal m applied to the stabilizing filter 66 the wavelengthλ_(L) on which the device 64 is stabilized is varied.

Especially due to additional optical stages as of amplifier stagesaccording to amplifier stage 7 of FIG. 1, at the output of stabilizedlaser source 51 _(S) the emitted light comprises also energy atwavelength different from λ_(L)=λ_(F1) (m) which is considered as noise.

There it is provided, in analogy to FIG. 3, a filter unit 29 _(g)simultaneously acting as a mechanical to optical converter. The spectrallocation of the filter characteristic of unit 29 _(g), specified by oneor more than one characteristic wavelengths λ_(F), is controllablyshifted in dependency of an applied mechanical load signal. In the caseof a narrow pass-band characteristic of filter unit 29 _(g), thepass-band central wavelength λ_(F2) is selected equal to λ_(F1) ofstabilizing filter 66. The spectral shifts of λ_(F1) and of λ_(F2)respectively in dependency of input mechanical load signals m istailored to be as equal as possible.

If the stabilizing filter 66 and the filter 29 _(g) are equal and atemperature to mechanical converter 68 provides to both filters 66 and29 _(g) the same mechanical load signal m, then the temperature shift ofλ_(F2) and of λ_(F1) will be substantially equal. As λF₁ governs thelaser light wavelength λ_(L), the temperature

does not affect the gain of laser light in spite of the varyingwavelength λ_(L)(

) as would be caused by a shift of λ_(L) with respect to thecharacteristic filter wavelength λ_(F2).

It is not necessary that the two filters 66 and 29 _(g) have the samemechanical to optical conversion characteristic. If thesecharacteristics are different, and as schematically shown in FIG. 4 byrespective weighting units 70 ₆₆ and 70 _(29g), the differentcharacteristics are taken into account by applying for the sametemperature

different mechanical loadings to the filters 66 and 29 _(g).

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3 the overall conversioncharacteristic of temperature

to spectral shift of the filter characteristic with λ_(F) is to bematched with the spectral temperature shift of the laser wavelengthλ_(L). In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, this is achieved bymatching the downstream filter 29 _(g) with the stabilizing filter 66.In both embodiments as of FIG. 3 and of FIG. 4 we have discussedcontrolled temperature dependent shift of the spectral location of thefilter characteristic of one or more than one optical filters so as toavoid the wavelength of laser light becoming offset from a desiredspectral filter band.

As was already addressed, two approaches are to be considered withrespect to mechanical control of optical filter characteristics. In afirst approach that we call “active” the optical filter is subjected toa mechanical load signal as e.g. to a force which is generated independency of temperature by an external converter. A second possibilityis to exploit mechanical and/or optical characteristics e.g. index ofrefraction, which vary in dependency of temperature at the opticalfilter itself. Such material characteristics may be thermal expansion,compression, bending index of refraction etc. The filter characteristicis then controlled by the geometric and material layout and thethermical/mechanical and thermical/optical characteristics of materialwhich governs the filter characteristic in dependency of temperature. Wecall this approach the “passive” approach.

The “active” and the “passive” approaches for realizing temperaturecontrol of filter units as of unit 29 _(g) and/or stabilizing filter 66of FIGS. 3 and 4 and, with an eye on FIG. 1, of filter unit 29, areschematically shown respectively in the FIGS. 5 and 6. According to FIG.5 a filter unit 72 as has been addressed is realized e.g. by grating 72_(a) e.g. applied within the volume of material M_(O). An external driveunit comprises a temperature to electric converter 74 e.g. a temperatureprobe. The output of converter 74 acts on an electrical to mechanicalconverter unit 76 as e.g. on a Piezo-material device. The electrical tomechanical converter unit 76 acts as e.g. by pressure on the filter unit72 with the grating 72 _(a). Thereby the grating 72 _(a) is mechanicallydeformed which results in a spectral shift of the transmitted orreflected spectrum with wavelength λ(m).

In the “passive” embodiment as schematically shown in FIG. 6 the grating72 _(p) is realized in the interface between two different materials M₁and M₂ or possibly within the volume of single material. Due totemperature dependent geometric and optical variation of the onematerial or of the different materials, the spectral location of thefilter characteristic is shifted. Thus in the “passive” embodiment asschematically exemplified in FIG. 6 the material structure of the filterelement per se acts as a temperature to mechanical converter as of 62,68 of the FIG. 3 or 4 and, additionally, as a mechanical to opticalconverter and, with respect to optical material characteristics asthermical to optical converter.

In FIG. 7 there is schematically shown by means of asignal-flow/functional-block diagram one realization form of theembodiments as have been principally explained with help of FIGS. 2 to6.

The output A₈₀ of a laser source 80 is operationally connected to inputE₈₂ of circulator 82. The input/output EA₈₂ of circulator 82 is fed toinput/output EA 84 of bi-directional optical amplifier unit 84. Theoutput/input AE₈₄ of amplifier unit 84 is operationally connected toinput/output EA₈₆ of a narrow-band reflecting unit 86. The reflectedspectral band of unit 86 is controllably shiftable via mechanical loadinput signal mE₈₆. A temperature to mechanical converter unit 88 has amechanical output mA₈₈ which is operationally connected to themechanical input mE₈₆ of narrow band reflecting unit 86. As evident tothe skilled artisan laser light at A₈₀ is led via circulator 82 andamplifier unit 84 onto the narrow band reflecting unit 86 and is therereflected. The reflected light is fed via amplifier unit 84 and EA₈₂ ofcirculator 82 to the output A₈₂. Temperature

₂ of laser source 80 is sensed by temperature to mechanical converter88, resulting in shifting the spectral position of the narrow-bandreflected spectrum of the reflecting unit 86. Thereby the spectralposition of the filter characteristic reflecting unit 86 is matched tothe temperature shift of laser light wavelength λ_(L).

This embodiment described up to now accords with the embodiment as wasdescribed with the help of FIG. 3, thereby exploiting “active” matchingaccording to FIG. 5.

As shown in dash lines in a further embodiment there may be provided astabilizing filter 89 according to stabilizing filter 66 of FIG. 4 sothat the filter characteristic of unit 86 is spectrally shifted matchedwith the spectral shift of laser wavelength λ_(L) transmitted due to thestabilizing filter 89.

Both embodiments i.e. with or without stabilizing filter 89 may therebyalso be realized in “passive” form. This according to FIG. 6 and asshown in FIG. 7 by temperature

₁, directly affecting unit 86 and its geometric and/or opticalparameters decisive for the spectral location of filter characteristicat unit 86. The same “passive” technique may be applied to stabilizingfilter 89. In one embodiment the stabilizing filter 89 is conceived atleast similar to the narrow band reflecting unit 86 as of same type andmaterial so as to facilitate spectral shift matching. As furtherschematically shown in FIG. 7 by the mechanical signal m e.g. thetilting angle φ of a mirroring surface may controllable be varied,“passively” or “actively”, thereby varying controllably the spectrallocation of the reflected pass-band.

In certain cases and with applying a stabilizing filter 89, mixed typerealization may be adequate e.g. “active” operation of stabilizingfilter 89 and “passive” operation of filter unit 86 or vice-versa.

As we have already addressed, matching the spectral positions of filtercharacteristics of filter units downstream the laser source with thelaser wavelength shift, in dependency of temperature, is especiallysuited for highly compact, low-power laser systems. Such a laser systemis especially one which is at least in a substantial part conceived inoptical fibre technique. Thereby and as shown in FIG. 7 e.g. theamplifier unit 84 may be realized by an “active” optical fibre 84 _(a)whereby in such case the narrow band reflecting unit 86 isadvantageously realized in optical fibre technology, too.

Several possibilities for realizing a reflecting unit 84 a exist:

-   -   An optical filter unit consisting of thin layers of dielectric        materials and operating as an interference reflecting device.        The layers are applied e.g. by gluing or coating on the end        AE_(84a) of the “active” optical fibre 84 _(a) or are provided        in a separate optical element which is butt-coupled or coupled        via a separate coupling device to the addressed fibre end. The        dielectric coatings are conceived to result in a spectral shift        of the reflected narrow-band spectrum when mechanically stressed        or when directly thermically loaded.    -   A further possibility is to provide surface and/or volume        gratings as e.g. spatially periodic structures at the/or        adjacent to the end AE_(84a) of the “active” optical fibre 84 a.        Here too the gratings are conceived e.g. so as to be        geometrically varied by mechanical stress applied thereto being        “actively” or “passively” as was explained.    -   A further possibility is to apply fibre Bragg gratings, uniform        apodized or chirped or coated fibre Bragg gratings, fibre Bragg        gratings in different fibre compositions or structures such as        e.g. on polymer fibres, germanosilicate fibres or photonic        crystal fibres. Here too geometric variations and/or variations        optical parameters of material provide for spectral shift of the        filter characteristics.

Laser systems which are temperature matched as describe and realized infibre technique—at least in part—are highly suited for handheld or atleast portable systems, for systems where space, power consumption androbustness are predominant requirements. Such systems may e.g. besubmarines, ships, spacecrafts, aircrafts, landvehicles as tanks. Alaser system especially suited for such applications was described incontext with FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 shows a part of the system of FIG. 1 which is realized accordingto FIG. 7 in fibre technique. The same reference numbers are used forelements which have already been described to facilitate understanding.The output of laser diode 1 of FIG. 1 is operationally connected tocirculator 82 of FIG. 7. The amplifier stages 7 and 25 of FIG. 1 arerealized by the pumped bi-directional fibre amplifier stage 84 a as ofFIG. 7 and the ASE filter unit 29 is realized by a narrow bandreflecting fibre unit 86 as has been explained in context with FIG. 7.The output of circulator 82, with an eye on FIG. 1, may directlyoperationally be connected to the input E₃₇ of circulator 37. Amplifierstage 7, ASE filter 29 and second amplifier stage 25 as of FIG. 1 arerealized by the fibre bi-directional, pumped amplifier stage 84 _(a) andthe fibre narrow band reflecting unit 86. Clearly for temperaturematching all the possibilities which have already been addressed as of“passive” control, “active” control, additional provision of astabilizing filter as of 89 of FIG. 7 may be applied also in theembodiment of FIG. 8.

The embodiment of FIG. 8 is a double-pass MOPA laser systemconfiguration with a narrow band ASE filter which is matched with themaster laser as concerns temperature shift of laser wavelength andspectral location of the pass-band of the ASE filter.

The narrow band reflecting unit 86 of FIG. 7 and according the ASEfilter unit 29 of FIG. 8 may e.g. be realized as was addressed incontext with FIG. 7.

In FIG. 9 there is schematically exemplified one realization form ofunit 86 especially to be linked to an upstream optical fibre as to theactive fibre amplifier 84 a of FIG. 8. Unit 86 comprises a low-passgrating filter stage 87 followed by a high-pass grating filter stage 88,at a reference temperature

_(O), both with corner wavelengths at about λ_(L) of the laser light. Afibre Bragg grating 90 acts as reflecting element. Mechanical controlespecially of the corner wavelengths of the stages 87 and 88 is e.g.performed by “active” compression or, “passively”, by providing therespective grating in a material which has a desired volume versustemperature shrinking characteristic. With an eye on FIG. 7 it isevident that the stabilizing filter 90 may be provided with gratingfilter stages similar to the stages 87 and 88 to provide for matchedshift of laser wavelength λ_(L) and filter pass-band.

The laser system as has been exemplified in the FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 areoperating with reflective filter units 86.

In analogy to FIG. 7, FIG. 10 exemplifies schematically a laser systemwhereat the narrow pass-band filter unit operates as a transmissiveunit.

According to FIG. 10 the output A₉₂ of laser source 92 is operationallyconnected to the input E₉₄ of an optical amplifier unit 94. The outputA₉₄ is operationally connected to the input E₉₆ of a narrow pass-bandfilter unit 96. The wavelength λ_(L) of the laser source 92 shifts withtemperature

as shown in block 92. The filter characteristic with the centrewavelength λ_(F) of the narrow pass-band filter unit 96 is shifted independency of temperature

substantially equally as λ_(L). Thereby, again “active” or “passive”control of temperature dependent spectral shift of the filtercharacteristic may be realized.

Both “passive” and “active” control have become clear to the skilledartisan from previous explanations so that in FIG. 10 both possibilitiesare addressed merely by the mechanical loading signal m₁ (

).

The principle of the system of FIG. 10 is e.g. realized in the system ofFIG. 1 as shown in FIG. 11. Thereby the ASE filter unit 29 is conceivedwith a fibre grating low-pass stage 87 and a fibre grating high-passstage 88 in analogy to FIG. 9. Again, “passive” or “active” control maybe applied so as to spectrally shift the pass-band centre frequency independency of temperature

matched with the temperature shift of laser wavelength λ_(L). Clearlyhere too, and with an eye on FIG. 7 or FIG. 4 a stabilizing filter maybe provided and temperature shift of that filter matched withtemperature shift of ASE filter 29.

We have described in this chapter according to one aspect of the presentinvention a technique by which the impact of laser light wavelengthtemperature shift is remedied not by stabilizing the temperature at thelaser source but by matching the addressed temperature shift and thetemperature shift of the spectral location of downstream filtercharacteristics. Due to the fact that the addressed matching techniquemay make cooling or temperature control circuits superfluous it is mostapt to be applied for laser systems whereat high compactness, low powerconsumption and robustness is a predominant requirement. Theserequirements are especially encountered for laser systems which are atleast in part conceived by optical fibre on one hand, to be mostflexible in construction leading to increased compactness and which are,due to this advantage, most suited for handheld or portable equipmentwhich also require low power consumption and high robustness. A highadvantage with respect to compactness is thereby achieved by asubstantially all optical fibre laser system as has been disclosed incontext with FIG. 1, specifically but not exclusively suited forportable laser range finders or target designators. Nevertheless theaddressed matching technique may also be used more generically and aswas described for all kind of laser systems where a relative shift oflaser wavelength and spectral position of a downstream filtercharacteristic is a problem and where the wavelength shift per se isacceptable.

3. Modulated Amplifier

In context with the laser system as realized today and as has beendescribed with a help of FIG. 1 we have addressed pulsing operation ofthe laser diode 3 and pulsing pumping of the optical fibre amplifierstages 7, 25 and possibly 39, whereby pumping of the addressed fibreamplifier stages is synchronized with pulsing of the laser diode 3.

We consider more generically the technique of pulsing operation of alaser source and of pulsing pumping of a downstream optical amplifierthereby synchronizing such pulsing operations. These aspects shallfurther be exemplified in this chapter.

Varying pulsed amplifier pumping as for synchronizing purposes may beconsidered under a broader aspect namely of gain modulating the opticalamplifier on one hand, on the other hand doing so at least in partsynchronized with pulsing the laser source. Thereby such a technique maybe applied per se to a laser system or in combination with one or morethan one of the other aspects considered inventive.

According to FIG. 12 a laser source 151 is operated to emit pulsed laserlight which is controlled by a pulse-control unit 153 via a pulsecontrol input E_(3P) to laser source 151. The pulsed laser light emittedat the output A₁₅₁ is operationally fed to the input E₁₀₇ of an opticalamplifier stage 107. The amplifier stage 107 is gain modulated. Gainmodulation is controlled by a modulation control unit 113 via gaincontrol input E_(107G) to amplifier stage 107. At the output ofamplifier stage 107 there is emitted gain modulated pulsed laser lightas indicated in FIG. 12 by G(t)i wherein i is the pulsed laser lightemitted from laser source 151. Thereby operation of the gain controlunit 113 i.e. variation of the gain G(t) at the amplifier stage 107 isat least in part synchronized with pulsed operation of laser source 151as shown in FIG. 12 by the synchronizing unit 114.

The modulated gain G(t) may be a composite gain signal consisting of apossibly time varying gain component G_(O)(t) which is not synchronizedwith the pulsed light emitted from laser source 151 and with a componentG_(S)(t) which is synchronized with the addressed pulsed operation.

In FIG. 13, purely as an example, there is shown pulsed laser light i(a), a qualitative gain-course G(t)=G_(O)(t)+G_(S)(t) as modulated atthe amplifier stage 107 and (c) the resulting pulsed light G(t)·i.

As may be seen from FIG. 13 gain modulation comprises an unsynchronizedgain component G_(O)(t) and, superimposed thereon, a synchronizedcomponent G_(S)(t). Synchronization is e.g. based on the rising edge rof the laser pulses i and is set by the phasing Ø(t). The synchronizingphase Ø(t) may thereby be time-invariant or may be varying in time. Asmay be seen from FIG. 13 by the controlled synchronized modulation ofthe gain G of the optical amplifier stage 107 the time course of laserpulses at the output of the amplifier stage may be most flexibly varied.

These are different reasons for time-varying energy of the laser pulsesemitted from laser source 151. In chapter “2. Temperature shiftmatching” we have discussed how relative spectral shifts between thewavelength λ_(L) of the laser light and a filter characteristic e.g. ofa narrow pass-band optical filter, may significantly affect the energyof output laser light at λ_(L) and S/N. There we have discussed theapproach of temperature shift matching of the wavelength λ_(L) of laserlight and spectral position of downstream filter-characteristic so as tocope with the addressed problem. Instead of this approach or in additionthereto, the output laser energy downstream the amplifier stage 107 asschematically shown in FIG. 12 may be watched and a undesired decreaseor increase of such energy e.g. due to the addressed mutual shifts maybe compensated. Thereby the technique considered here namely of gainmodulation allows to cope more generically with undesired output energyvariations irrespective of their upstream origin.

Further targets which may be aimed at by the addressed gain modulationtechnique are maximum S/N, optimized output pulse-energy versuselectrical input power, i.e. optimized wall-plug efficiency.

With respect to modulating gain of the optical amplifier stage differentpossibilities may be applied in dependency of the type of such opticalamplifier stage.

Commonly an optical amplifier for laser light is a pumped amplifier aswas already addressed in context with FIG. 1. Thereby at a pumpedoptical amplifier the addressed gain modulation may be controlled bycontrolling pump light energy and/or pump light wavelength. A furtherpossibility for gain control is to provide at the optical amplifier anoptical filter characteristic and to perform gain modulation byspectrally shifting the filter characteristic as was discussed forvarious optical filters in chapter “2. Temperature shift matching”especially in context with the “active” mode. It is perfectly clear tothe skilled artisan that by providing within the amplifier stage 107 anoptical filter as was described in the addressed chapter andcontrollably spectrally shifting its filter characteristic the gain ofthe amplifier stage 107 may be controllably modulated. Further forpumped amplifiers, the optical length of excited “active” material maybe modulated which length directly affects the gain of the amplifierstage.

In FIG. 12 there is further shown a sensing arrangement 115 whichsenses, downstream the gain-modulatable amplifier stage 107 one or morethan one parameters of the pulsed laser light. Such sensing arrangement115 may e.g. sense actual S/N, pulse energy or averaged pulse energy.The sensed actual value of interest represented by an electric signal atoutput A₁₁₅ is compared at a comparator unit 117 with a desired value ofinterest or a respective time course pre-established in storage unit119. At the output A₁₁₇ of comparator unit 117 a signal-difference Δ isgenerated which controls, via a controller-unit 121, modulation of thegain of amplifier stage 107 at modulation control input E_(113mod)and/or controls the gain value G_(O)(t), i.e. the non-synchronized partof amplifier gain G(t). Thereby a negative feedback control for thedesired entity at the laser light downstream amplifier stream 107 isestablished. Clearly instead of providing negative feedback control ofthe addressed parameters in the laser light downstream the amplifierstage 107 it is also possible to provide open-loop control by adjustingthe synchronized component of the gain modulation at E_(113mod) and/orby adjusting the un-synchronized gain modulation G_(O)(t).

As we have already addressed, providing a gain modulatable opticalamplifier stage downstream the laser source allows to substantiallycompensate temperature caused variations of laser output energy and ofS/N. Thereby similarly to the effects of the previously addressedtemperature shift matching technique, significant efforts fortemperature stabilization especially of the laser source are avoided.This improves the overall laser system with respect to compactness andpower consumption. Such requirements prevail especially for portable oreven handheld equipment whereat such a laser system is integrated.

We have already addressed such a laser systems in context with FIG. 1 aswell as—more generically—in context with laser systems at least in partconceived in optical fibre technique which especially comprise one ormore than one pumped optical fibre amplifier stages. The techniqueaddressed here of gain modulating an optical amplifier stage downstreamthe laser source is especially suited for such highly compact and lowpower consumption laser systems with pumped optical fibre amplifierstages.

This is addressed in FIG. 12 by the dash line representation of pumpedoptical fibre amplifier 107 _(a). Thereby and as was already mentionedgain modulation of such pulsed optical fibre amplifier stage 107 may beachieved by means of varying the intensity of pumping light and/orvarying the spectrum of pumping light and/or shifting spectrally thefilter characteristic of an optical filter within the amplifier stageand/or varying the length of actively amplifying material instead oradditionally to modulating the addressed gain by pump-pulse-widthmodulation.

In FIG. 14 there is shown qualitatively pulse width modulated pumping ofthe optical amplifier stage as of 107 or 107 a of FIG. 12. In analogy tothe representation in FIG. 13 “i” denotes the laser light pulses emittedat the output A₁₅₁ of FIG. 12. The amplifier stage 107 or 107 a ispumped in that pumping light pulses are applied to gain control inputE_(107G). Thereby the pumping pulses as of (b) in FIG. 14 aresynchronized with the laser light pulses “i” as e.g. with varying timelag Ø(t) (see FIG. 13) based on the rising edge r of the laser lightpulses “i”. Gain modulation is performed by pulse-width-modulation ofthe pumping pulses whereby as shown in (b) of FIG. 14 the duty-cycledefined by the on-time T_(ON) to the pulse repetition period τ iscontrollably varied. The resulting laser light pulses are shown in (c).As further shown in FIG. 14 gain modulation may additionally topulse-width-modulation be controlled by pumping pulse intensity I_(ON)and/or I_(Off), spectrum of the pumping light represented in FIG. 14 bythe wavelength λ_(P) and/or as shown in FIG. 12, by geometric variationof the length of absorbing material 5.

In FIG. 15 there is shown a part of the laser system as of FIG. 1.Thereby pumping of the one or more than one of the amplifier stages 7,25 and possibly 39 is performed in pulse-width-modulation technique asit was addressed in context with FIG. 14. Thereby and synchronized withthe laser control pulses from unit 53, separate pulse-width-modulationunits 14 a, 14 b . . . control the pulsed pumping of the fibre amplifierstages 7, 25 and possibly 39 via pumping diodes 13 a, 13 b, etc.

The pulse-width-modulation at the respective units 14 may thereby beopen-loop adjusted or, with an eye on FIG. 12, negative feedbackcontrolled from a sensing unit 115. The pulse-width-modulation controlis done by a respective control signal to the modulation control inputsE_(14mod). Thereby, the pulse-width-modulation for the respectivepumping of the amplifier stages may be set differently as addressed bythe separate modulation units 14 a, 14 b assigned to the pumping diodes13 a, 13 b . . . . The difference between setting of thepulse-width-modulations takes into account e.g. different locations ofthe pulsed amplifier stages along the laser light path. The differencemay be with respect to synchronization phasing φ(t) as of FIG. 13 aswell as with respect to gain control parameters. Instead of pumpingdiodes 13 a, b . . . other pumping sources as e.g. pumping laser sourcesmay be used. Further instead of a diode laser source 1 other lasersource types may be used as e.g. solid state laser sources.

By means of the modulatable gain G of the optical amplifier as describedin this chapter it most generically becomes possible to counter-actlaser light intensity variations which are due e.g. to temperatureinfluence or to aging of the system. The addressed technique is mostsuited to be integrated in the laser system as of FIG. 1, moregenerically for laser systems as addressed namely for portable or evenhandheld equipment as for handheld laser range finders and targetdesignators which have already been addressed.

4. Bi-Directional Coupler

In context with FIG. 1 we have addressed a coupler unit 49 which hisconsidered under a further aspect of the present invention as inventiveper se.

Such coupler unit 249 is more generalized shown in FIG. 16. It comprisesan input optical fibre or waveguide 135 to an input E₁₃₇ of a circulator137. The input fibre 135 is to be connected to a laser source. Theoutput A₁₃₇ Of circulator 137 is connected to an output optical fibre145 to be connected to a detector unit as to a unit 43 of FIG. 1. Theinput/output EA₁₃₇ of circulator 137 is connected via fibre 139 to theobjective of a laser device. Laser light from the laser source iscoupled by the circulator 137 as output light O to fibre 139 and to theobjective whereas the laser light R received at the objective e.g.reflected from a target is coupled by circulator 137 from fibre 139 viafibre 145 to the detector unit.

Different possibilities exist for the selection of the fibres 135, 139and 145.

In one embodiment all these fibres are standard single mode fibres atthe wavelength λ_(L) of the laser light from the laser source. Therebythe overall losses are minimized. The laser light is only guided in thecore of the fibres. Thereby the aperture of the light emitting and ofthe light receiving optics of the objective is selected equal. Theoptimum aperture width F/# of the objective may be adapted to thedivergence of the fibre 139. Further the detection surface of thedetector unit may be adapted to the mode filed diameter MFD of fibre145.

In a further embodiment wherein all the fibres 135, 139 and 145 areselected as standard single-mode fibres at the laser wavelength λ_(L),the emitted light O is only guided in the core of fibre 135 and 139. Thereceived light R is guided in the core as well as in the cladding offibres 139 and 145. Thereby especially fibres 139 and 145 are selectedshort so as to minimize losses in the claddings to a negligible amount.The detection surface of detector unit downstream fibre 145 is to beadapted to the cladding size of that fibre. Coupling losses of thereceived light R is minimized. The numerical aperture of the emitter isselected different from the numerical aperture of the receiver at theobjective.

In a further embodiment fibre 135 is optimized with respect to the lasersource and fibres 139 and 145 are few mode. As the length of fibre 139is selected short and this fibre is substantially un-bended, couplingfrom the fundamental to higher order modes can be neglected and optimumbeam quality is achieved. Still in a further embodiment fibre 135 isoptimized with respect to the laser source and fibre 139 is a doubleclad fibre which has the same core MFD as fibre 135. Fibre 145 isoptimized to collect the light guided in the cladding and in the core offibre 139.

In a further embodiment the fibres 135, 139 and 145 are multi-modefibres.

If the laser source is a source of polarized laser light, in a furtherembodiment the fibres are selected as polarization maintaining fibres.This simplifies separation of emitted —O— and received —R— light.

In a further embodiment photonic crystal fibres, single or double-clad,are used which allows high flexibility with respect to the choice of theMFD parameters for emitted —O— and received —R— light.

Commercially available un-polarized circulator units 137 may be adaptedto the different fibres as mentioned. Often manufacturers of circulatorsimpose the parameters of fibres to be applied. Therefore, as was alreadyaddressed in context with FIG. 1, fusion splicing of the optimum fibresto the circulator fibres is to be performed in order to minimize losses.

The circulator unit 137, in one embodiment is a polarization independentcirculator which separates the received light R from the transmittedlight O and thereby additionally removes background light by filtering.

The all-fibre coupler unit 149 or 49 of FIG. 1 has the advantage that itmay be applied with un-polarized laser light as especially suited forthe addressed range finder and target designator portable applications.No detection limitation due to a coaxial surface ratio, defined asemitter or receiver surface, to total objective surface or due topolarization state of the received light is present.

The application of MFD adaptation at the fibre—139—end of the all-fibredevice allows realizing optimal beam divergence of the device with thecoupler unit 149 or 49 as of a range finder or a target designatorwithout providing additional lenses. An increase of MFD increasesreliability at the end of fibre 139.

The MFD of the fibre 139 directly determines the numerical aperture atthat fibre end and is influenced by the geometry and/or refractive indexof the wave guiding fibre. The numerical aperture of the fibre enddetermines the beam side output by the objective and thus the divergenceof the laser beam emitted by the device as by a range finder or by atarget designator device. Therefore the choice of MFD at the end offibre 139 influences the performance of such device. In spite of thefact that optimum emitted beam divergence may be achieved by placingoptical lenses downstream the end of fibre 139 in one embodiment of thecoupler 149 and 49—as was mentioned—adaptation of the MFD is performedat the end of fibre 139 opposite to circulator 137 which allows theomission of additional lenses. Different techniques are known to alterand thus optimize the MFD of such fibre 139:

An increase of MFD can be achieved by diffusion of dopants obtained byheating the fibre in a flame according to J. of Appl. Phys.; Vol. 60 No.12 pp. 4293, 1986, K. Shigihara et al. or J. Lightwave Technol. Vol. 8No. 8 pp. 1151, 1990, K. Shiraishi et al. or Electron. Lett. Vol. 24 No.4 pp. 245, 1988 J. S. Harper et al.

Another known possibility is irradiating the fibre with a CO₂ laseraccording to Appl. Opt. Vol. 38 No. 33, pp. 6845, 1999; T. E. Dimmick etal.

Still a further known possibility to increase MFD of single mode fibresis to reduce the core diameter by tapering the fibre, Electron. Lett.Vol. 20 No. 15 pp. 621, 1984; Keil, R.

Further cladding modes have a higher beam diameter than core modes.Therefore coupling the core mode near the end of fibre 139 into acladding mode allows significant changes in the numerical aperture. Thiseffect has been investigated in Opt. Commun. Vol. 183 pp. 377, 2000; Y.Li et al.

Lensed fibre ends are presented in the publication of Jarmolik et al.Optik Vol. 110, No. 1, pp. 37 1999, A. Jarmilik et al. lensed fibreends.

Generically an increase of the emitted beam diameter allows theapplications of higher peak power.

A further technique to increase MFD at the end of fibre 139 isUV-irradiation of a photo-sensitive cladding at a fibre ‘Spot sizeexpander using UV-trimming of trilayer photosensitive fibres’; OECC/I00C2001, Conference Incorporating ACOFT, Sydney, pp. 408, 2001; R. A.Jarvis et al. or ‘High-energy and high-peak-power nanosecond pulsegeneration with beam quality control in 200 μm core highly multimodeYb-doped fibre amplifiers’; Opt. Lett. Vol. 30 No. 4 2005; pp. 358;Cheng et al. It has further to be noticed that core-less fibre end capsmay be applied to the end of fibre 139 so as to completely eliminatesurface damages, as known from US-20040036957 (A. Galvanauskas et al.).

Thus the coupler unit 149 or 49 as of FIG. 16 provides single channellaser light emission and reception for polarized or un-polarized laserlight. It is ideally suited to be combined with diode or solid statelaser sources making use of optical fibre coupling technique asespecially for an all-fibre laser system as of an all-fibre MOPA lasersystem as was described with a help of FIG. 1. Thereby optical fibrebased laser systems guarantee an increased stability and robustness withrespect to environmental disturbances in comparison to systems with freespace parts. Such laser systems may have a very high compactness and theavailability of the output beam as well as of the reception beam in afibre tail allows substantially independent location of the input/outputlaser port at a respective device with such laser system. Single channelemitting/receiving optics further increase compactness allowing for highsystem stability. Thereby the all-fibre reception channel to thedetector diode couples only light which is present within the fibre tosuch diode whereby stray-light impinging upon such diode is reduced.

We have described a today's realized embodiment of an all-fibre lasersystem wherein different features are realized in combination. All thesefeatures as especially temperature shift matching, gain modulation ofoptical amplifiers and bi-directional optical coupler unit areconsidered per se inventive as being applicable per se or in anycombination to laser systems which may differ from the system asrealized today.

1.-23. (canceled)
 24. A range finder system or target designator systemcomprising an optical system output; a pulsed diodemaster-oscillator/power-amplifier (MOPA) laser system, said laser systemcomprising a diode laser source having an optical output operationallyconnected to said optical system output and at least one of thefollowing groups of features: a) said laser source being operated in apulsed manner by a source operating pulse signal and said poweramplifier being pumped in a pulsed manner by a pump operating pulsesignal, pulses of said source operating pulse signal and pulses of saidpump operating pulse signal being synchronized in time; optical gainbetween an input signal to said power amplifier and an output signalfrom said power amplifier being adjusted by adjusting said pumpoperating pulsed signal; b) further comprising an optical pass-bandfiber filter interconnected between said output of said laser source andsaid system output, said optical pass-band filter having a pass-bandcharacteristic, said characteristic being spectrally and automaticallyshifted matched with a spectral shift of a spectrum band of laser lightsubjected to filtering by said optical pass-band filter.
 25. The systemof claim 24, having said features a), wherein said power amplifier is anadjusting member within a negative feedback loop by which a physicalentity of laser light downstream said power amplifier is sensed as ameasured prevailing value to be controlled, the measuring result iscompared with a desired value for said physical entity and said gain isadjusted in dependency of a result of said comparing.
 26. The system ofclaim 25, wherein said physical entity is signal-to-noise ratio.
 27. Thesystem of claim 25, wherein said pump operating pulsed signal isadjusted by at least one of intensity of pumping light, spectrumvariation of pumping light, pulse width.
 28. The system of claim 27,wherein said physical entity is signal-to-noise ratio.
 29. The system ofclaim 25, further comprising an optical filter interconnected betweensaid optical output of said laser source and said system output, saidoptical filter having a spectrally and controllably shiftable filtercharacteristic, said gain being adjusted by spectrally controllablyshifting said filter characteristic.
 30. The system of claim 29, havingsaid features b), said optical filter comprising said optical band-passfilter.
 31. The system of claim 29, wherein said physical entity issignal-to-noise ratio.
 32. The system of claim 25, having said featuresb), wherein said shift of said pass-band characteristic is controlled bya temperature, said temperature being dependent from a furthertemperature wherefrom said spectral shift of said spectrum band of laserlight subjected to filtering by said optical pass-band filter depends.33. The system of claim 24, having said features a) and wherein saidpump operating pulsed signal is adjusted by at least one of intensity ofpumping light spectrum variation of pumping light, pulse width.
 34. Thesystem of claim 24, further comprising an optical filter interconnectedbetween said optical output of said laser source and said system output,said optical filter having a spectrally and controllably shiftablefilter characteristic, gain between said output of said laser source andsaid system output being adjustable comprising spectrally controllablyshifting said filter characteristic.
 35. The system of claim 34, havingsaid features b), said optical filter comprising said optical band-passfilter.
 36. The system of claim 35, having said features b), whereinsaid shift of said pass-band characteristic is controlled by atemperature, said temperature being dependent from a further temperaturewherefrom said spectral shift of said spectrum band of laser lightsubjected to filtering by said optical pass-band filter depends.
 37. Thesystem of claim 35, wherein said physical entity is signal-to-noiseratio.
 38. The system of claim 24, having the features b), wherein saidshift of said pass-band characteristic is controlled by a temperature,said temperature being dependent from a further temperature wherefromsaid spectral shift of said spectrum band of laser light subjected tofiltering by said optical pass-band filter depends.
 39. The system ofclaim 38, further comprising a stabilizing optical fibre filter in saidmaster-oscillator, being decisive for said spectrum band of laser light,said further temperature being the temperature of said stabilizingoptical fibre filter.
 40. The system of claim 24, having said featuresb), further comprising a stabilizing optical fibre filter in saidmaster-oscillator, being decisive for said spectrum band of laser light,the shift of spectral location of said filter characteristics of saidstabilizing filter and of said pass-band filter being matched.
 41. Thesystem of claim 24, said system output comprising a transmitter optic,the input of said transmitter optic being operationally connected to anoutput end of an optical fibre, said output end being conceived fordetermining divergence of a laser beam output from said laser system.42. The system of claim 41, said laser system having an optical systeminput with a receiver optic being said transmitter optic and said inputof said transmitter optic being also an output from said transmitteroptic.
 43. The range finder system of claim 42, wherein said opticalfibre is an active optical fibre.
 44. The range finder system of claim41, wherein said optical fibre is an active optical fibre.
 45. Thesystem according to claim 24, further comprising an optical system inputand generating a pulsed laser output signal at said system output; adetector unit operationally connected to said system input and detectingpulsed response laser light, the output of said detector unit beingoperationally connected to an evaluation unit, said evaluation unitperforming multiple pulse evaluation for generating a distanceindication.
 46. The system of claim 45, being of a size to be at leastman-portable.
 47. The system of claim 46, operating in ranges of atleast 1 km to at least 10 km.
 48. The system of claim 45, operating inranges of at least 1 km to at least 10 km.
 49. The system of claim 24being of a size to be at least man-portable.
 50. The system of claim 24,wherein substantially all laser light propagation is performed inoptical fibres.
 51. A tank or submarine with a system according to claim24.